US3036940A - Explosive composition - Google Patents
Explosive composition Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3036940A US3036940A US710380A US71038058A US3036940A US 3036940 A US3036940 A US 3036940A US 710380 A US710380 A US 710380A US 71038058 A US71038058 A US 71038058A US 3036940 A US3036940 A US 3036940A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- impulse
- nitromethane
- explosive composition
- low
- methanol
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 title claims description 6
- 239000002360 explosive Substances 0.000 title description 6
- OKKJLVBELUTLKV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Methanol Chemical compound OC OKKJLVBELUTLKV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 15
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- MHCFAGZWMAWTNR-UHFFFAOYSA-M lithium perchlorate Chemical compound [Li+].[O-]Cl(=O)(=O)=O MHCFAGZWMAWTNR-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910001486 lithium perchlorate Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- MCSAJNNLRCFZED-UHFFFAOYSA-N nitroethane Chemical compound CC[N+]([O-])=O MCSAJNNLRCFZED-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- MHAJPDPJQMAIIY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Hydrogen peroxide Chemical compound OO MHAJPDPJQMAIIY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 10
- LYGJENNIWJXYER-UHFFFAOYSA-N nitromethane Chemical compound C[N+]([O-])=O LYGJENNIWJXYER-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 7
- 239000003380 propellant Substances 0.000 description 7
- CSCPPACGZOOCGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N Acetone Chemical compound CC(C)=O CSCPPACGZOOCGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- NYTOUQBROMCLBJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Tetranitromethane Chemical compound [O-][N+](=O)C([N+]([O-])=O)([N+]([O-])=O)[N+]([O-])=O NYTOUQBROMCLBJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 4
- RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N Diethyl ether Chemical compound CCOCC RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- IAYPIBMASNFSPL-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethylene oxide Chemical compound C1CO1 IAYPIBMASNFSPL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 238000005474 detonation Methods 0.000 description 3
- MYMOFIZGZYHOMD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Dioxygen Chemical compound O=O MYMOFIZGZYHOMD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- LFQSCWFLJHTTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethanol Chemical compound CCO LFQSCWFLJHTTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000001590 oxidative effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- BDERNNFJNOPAEC-UHFFFAOYSA-N propan-1-ol Chemical compound CCCO BDERNNFJNOPAEC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- DIIIISSCIXVANO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine Chemical compound CNNC DIIIISSCIXVANO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- GDDNTTHUKVNJRA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 3-bromo-3,3-difluoroprop-1-ene Chemical compound FC(F)(Br)C=C GDDNTTHUKVNJRA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- VGGSQFUCUMXWEO-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethene Chemical compound C=C VGGSQFUCUMXWEO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000005977 Ethylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- GRYLNZFGIOXLOG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Nitric acid Chemical compound O[N+]([O-])=O GRYLNZFGIOXLOG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000000020 Nitrocellulose Substances 0.000 description 1
- SNIOPGDIGTZGOP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Nitroglycerin Chemical compound [O-][N+](=O)OCC(O[N+]([O-])=O)CO[N+]([O-])=O SNIOPGDIGTZGOP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000000006 Nitroglycerin Substances 0.000 description 1
- LFZAXBDWELNSEE-UHFFFAOYSA-N [S].[K] Chemical compound [S].[K] LFZAXBDWELNSEE-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000003054 catalyst Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003610 charcoal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003638 chemical reducing agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000052 comparative effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000470 constituent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003085 diluting agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- AXZAYXJCENRGIM-UHFFFAOYSA-J dipotassium;tetrabromoplatinum(2-) Chemical compound [K+].[K+].[Br-].[Br-].[Br-].[Br-].[Pt+2] AXZAYXJCENRGIM-UHFFFAOYSA-J 0.000 description 1
- 235000019441 ethanol Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229960003711 glyceryl trinitrate Drugs 0.000 description 1
- 239000003721 gunpowder Substances 0.000 description 1
- 231100001261 hazardous Toxicity 0.000 description 1
- -1 i.e. Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 1
- SIBGTNDYBZZMHL-UHFFFAOYSA-M lithium;methanol;perchlorate Chemical compound [Li+].OC.[O-]Cl(=O)(=O)=O SIBGTNDYBZZMHL-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003607 modifier Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920001220 nitrocellulos Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000011368 organic material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003960 organic solvent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000007800 oxidant agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- VLTRZXGMWDSKGL-UHFFFAOYSA-N perchloric acid Chemical class OCl(=O)(=O)=O VLTRZXGMWDSKGL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000003495 polar organic solvent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910001487 potassium perchlorate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000001556 precipitation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000035945 sensitivity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000779 smoke Substances 0.000 description 1
- SUKJFIGYRHOWBL-UHFFFAOYSA-N sodium hypochlorite Chemical compound [Na+].Cl[O-] SUKJFIGYRHOWBL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- BAZAXWOYCMUHIX-UHFFFAOYSA-M sodium perchlorate Chemical compound [Na+].[O-]Cl(=O)(=O)=O BAZAXWOYCMUHIX-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 1
- 229910001488 sodium perchlorate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002269 spontaneous effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003381 stabilizer Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
- C06B—EXPLOSIVES OR THERMIC COMPOSITIONS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS EXPLOSIVES
- C06B29/00—Compositions containing an inorganic oxygen-halogen salt, e.g. chlorate, perchlorate
- C06B29/02—Compositions containing an inorganic oxygen-halogen salt, e.g. chlorate, perchlorate of an alkali metal
Definitions
- Explosives differ from ordinary combustibles in that they contain both oxidizing and reducing features and require no air or other supporter of combustion in order to react. These features may be both contained in the same molecular structure, such as nitroglycerin or nitrocellulose, or they may be combined as a heterogeneous, multiphase system such as sulfur-potassium nitrate-charcoal, i.e., gunpowder.
- liquid propellants are of the bi-propellant type which consists. of two strongly interacting liquids, one an oxidizer and the other a reducing agent. These, when combined under the proper conditions and ignited, burn rapidly with the liberation of much energy and gaseous products. Examples of such pairs are liquid oxygen/ gasoline, or red fuming nitric acid/dimethyl hydrazine. These liquids have the disadvantages of requiring separate storage tanks and needing complicated feed mechanisms, pumps, turbines, or pressurizing devices, and a complicated thrust chamber. In the case of liquid oxygen, it cannot be stored for any extended period, because of its low critical pressure.
- liquid propellant used to a very limited extent commercially, are the monopropellants, which are complete rocket fuels in themselves and which contain both the oxidizing and reducing features.
- the present invention is of this type. Examples are hydrogen peroxide, nitromethane, ethylene oxide, tetranitromethane, or solutions of an organic material such as ethyl alcohol in hydrogen peroxide or tetranitromethane.
- They generally have the disadvantages of (1) low energy output, e.g., hydrogen peroxide, ethylene oxide; (2) poor storage stability; or (3) sensitivity to detonation, e.g., tetranitromethane; or they may have all three disadvantages.
- Concentrated hydrogen peroxide 70-95 pure, has been used to some extent to provide auxiliary power for helicopters, but it has comparatively low energy, and trace impurities or contamination may cause spontaneous detonation.
- Nitromethane while stable to ambient temperature storage, is low in energy and underoxidized to the point that carbon smoke may appear in the exhaust gas.
- Tetranitromethane although capable of furnishing high impulse has thus far been too sensitive to detonation to be used to any extent as a monopropellant. Feed systems for monopropellants are comparatively simple since only one material is supplied to the rocket engine.
- explosives and monopropellants may be prepared from safe, easily handled nonexplosive constituents which may be shipped with safety to the location of use, stored indefinitely and combined in solution when use is desired.
- my invention contemplates lithium perchlorate in a solvent solution, preferably, low molecular weight polar organic solvents. Such solutions, once prepared, may be readily detonated.
- compositions of the present invention lithium perchlorate-methanol solution, for example, when employed as monopropellants, provide higher energy than any other monopropellant generally known in the art at the present time as shown by the following comparative data:
- Specific impulse is a parameter used in rocketry for rating energies of propellants and is the pounds thrust obtainable per poundper-second or propellant flow under a given set of conditions.
- Volume impulse which is the product of specific impulse and density, gives a rating of propellants per unit of volume. Note that ethylene oxide has a moderately good specific impulse, but a low volume impulse due to its low density.
- Monopropellant compositions preferably should contain a nitroparaffin such as nitromethane which improves fluidity yet allows the least reduction in specific impulse.
- a nitroparaffin such as nitromethane which improves fluidity yet allows the least reduction in specific impulse.
- the solubility of lithium perchlorate in methanol changes considerably with temperature and precipitation or gel formation may occur if nitromethane or other diluent is not added.
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
Description
United States Patent 3,036,940 EXPLOSIVE COMPOSITION David A. Fletcher, Redlands, Calif., assignor to Lockheed Propulsion Company, a corporation of California No Drawing. Filed Jan. 21,1958, Ser. No. 710,380 2 Claims. (Cl. 149--78) This invention relates to improvements in new and useful compositions of matter of the liquid or gel type suitable for use as explosives and fuels for rocket motors.
Explosives differ from ordinary combustibles in that they contain both oxidizing and reducing features and require no air or other supporter of combustion in order to react. These features may be both contained in the same molecular structure, such as nitroglycerin or nitrocellulose, or they may be combined as a heterogeneous, multiphase system such as sulfur-potassium nitrate-charcoal, i.e., gunpowder.
In all instances, shipment and handling has been a problem, as the prepared explosive is usually processed and packaged prior to use, after which it must be shipped to the location where it is to be used. Shipment and handling are extremely hazardous.
Most liquid propellants are of the bi-propellant type which consists. of two strongly interacting liquids, one an oxidizer and the other a reducing agent. These, when combined under the proper conditions and ignited, burn rapidly with the liberation of much energy and gaseous products. Examples of such pairs are liquid oxygen/ gasoline, or red fuming nitric acid/dimethyl hydrazine. These liquids have the disadvantages of requiring separate storage tanks and needing complicated feed mechanisms, pumps, turbines, or pressurizing devices, and a complicated thrust chamber. In the case of liquid oxygen, it cannot be stored for any extended period, because of its low critical pressure.
Another type of liquid propellant, used to a very limited extent commercially, are the monopropellants, which are complete rocket fuels in themselves and which contain both the oxidizing and reducing features. The present invention is of this type. Examples are hydrogen peroxide, nitromethane, ethylene oxide, tetranitromethane, or solutions of an organic material such as ethyl alcohol in hydrogen peroxide or tetranitromethane. They generally have the disadvantages of (1) low energy output, e.g., hydrogen peroxide, ethylene oxide; (2) poor storage stability; or (3) sensitivity to detonation, e.g., tetranitromethane; or they may have all three disadvantages. Concentrated hydrogen peroxide, 70-95 pure, has been used to some extent to provide auxiliary power for helicopters, but it has comparatively low energy, and trace impurities or contamination may cause spontaneous detonation. Nitromethane, while stable to ambient temperature storage, is low in energy and underoxidized to the point that carbon smoke may appear in the exhaust gas. Tetranitromethane, although capable of furnishing high impulse has thus far been too sensitive to detonation to be used to any extent as a monopropellant. Feed systems for monopropellants are comparatively simple since only one material is supplied to the rocket engine.
I have discovered that explosives and monopropellants may be prepared from safe, easily handled nonexplosive constituents which may be shipped with safety to the location of use, stored indefinitely and combined in solution when use is desired. Specifically, my invention contemplates lithium perchlorate in a solvent solution, preferably, low molecular weight polar organic solvents. Such solutions, once prepared, may be readily detonated.
Unlike other solid perchlorates, such as ammonium perchlorate, potassium perchlorate and sodium perchlorate which are soluble in organic solvents to a very limited ex- 3,036,940 Patented May 29, .1 962 Grams dissolved in g. solvent Solvent 111C104 K0104 NHrClOr NaClO,
, 151.8 0.01 14.7 n-Propanol. 105. 0 0. 01 4. 0 n-Butanol- 79. 3 0.005 l. 9 Acetone 156.3 0. l6 51. 7 Diethyl ether 113. 7 insol. lnsol.
1 Solubility about like K0104.
Percent by wt.
(1) Anhydrous LiClO 62 Methanol 38 (2) Anhydrous LiClO 15 Nitromethane 70 Methanol 15 (3) Anhydrous LiClO 35 Nitromethane 35 Methanol 25 Acetone 5 Any suitable stabilizers, combustion catalysts or modifiers may be added as desired.
Compositions of the present invention, lithium perchlorate-methanol solution, for example, when employed as monopropellants, provide higher energy than any other monopropellant generally known in the art at the present time as shown by the following comparative data:
Density, Volume Remarks on Propellant System lbs/in. I 1,000 Impulse Stability 01' Performance Hydrogen peroxide 0. 050 max 7. 5 Unstable, low 0 w. impulse. Nitromethane. 0. 0412 173 7. 1 Detonates easily, smoky exhaust. Ethylene oxide- 0.032 5. 8 Stable but low vol. impulse. LiclOi-methenol 0. 0497 226 l1. 2 Stability of solsolution (62% ute and solvent concentration). excellent; ex-
haust nonsmoky, good impulse.
Specific impulse, I as used in the above table, is a parameter used in rocketry for rating energies of propellants and is the pounds thrust obtainable per poundper-second or propellant flow under a given set of conditions.
Volume impulse, which is the product of specific impulse and density, gives a rating of propellants per unit of volume. Note that ethylene oxide has a moderately good specific impulse, but a low volume impulse due to its low density.
Monopropellant compositions preferably should contain a nitroparaffin such as nitromethane which improves fluidity yet allows the least reduction in specific impulse. The solubility of lithium perchlorate in methanol changes considerably with temperature and precipitation or gel formation may occur if nitromethane or other diluent is not added.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,783,138 Parsons Feb. 26, 1957 OTHER REFERENCES Leonard: Journal of the American Rocket Society, No. 72, December 1947, pages 10-16.
Jet Propulsion, Report prepared by the Guggenheim 5 Aeronautical Laboratory and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, GALCIT, California Institute of Technology for the Air Technical Service Command, 1946, pages 295-296. Langes Handbook of Chemistry, 7th ed., Handbook Publishers, Inc., Sandusky, Ohio, 1949, pp. 228-229.
Tschinkel: Ind. and- Eng. Chemistry, vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 732-735, April 1956.
Claims (1)
- 2. A LIQUID MONOPROPELLANT COMPOSITION WHICH CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF ABOUT 15-35% BY WEIGHT OF LITHIUM PERCHLORATE IN SOLUTION WITH ABOUT 35-70% OF A LOWER NITROPARAFFIN AND ABOUT 15-25% BY WEIGHT OF METHANOL.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US710380A US3036940A (en) | 1958-01-21 | 1958-01-21 | Explosive composition |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US710380A US3036940A (en) | 1958-01-21 | 1958-01-21 | Explosive composition |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| US3036940A true US3036940A (en) | 1962-05-29 |
Family
ID=24853810
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| US710380A Expired - Lifetime US3036940A (en) | 1958-01-21 | 1958-01-21 | Explosive composition |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US3036940A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6984273B1 (en) * | 1999-07-29 | 2006-01-10 | Aerojet-General Corporation | Premixed liquid monopropellant solutions and mixtures |
| DE102021103380B3 (en) | 2021-02-12 | 2021-12-16 | Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. | Fuel for rocket engines |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2783138A (en) * | 1944-04-11 | 1957-02-26 | Aerojet General Co | Propellant compositions |
-
1958
- 1958-01-21 US US710380A patent/US3036940A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2783138A (en) * | 1944-04-11 | 1957-02-26 | Aerojet General Co | Propellant compositions |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6984273B1 (en) * | 1999-07-29 | 2006-01-10 | Aerojet-General Corporation | Premixed liquid monopropellant solutions and mixtures |
| DE102021103380B3 (en) | 2021-02-12 | 2021-12-16 | Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. | Fuel for rocket engines |
| WO2022171324A1 (en) * | 2021-02-12 | 2022-08-18 | Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. | Fuel |
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